E-mail this article

To:

Invalid E-mail address

Add a personal message:(80
character limit)Your E-mail:

Invalid E-mail address

Sending your article

The MSPCA-Nevins Farm announced that a Chester, N.H., woman agreed to surrender 33 guinea pigs to its adoption center in Methuen after it determined the animals - who were all living in the woman's small house - were not adequately cared for. The guinea pigs were turned over to the shelter on Nov. 2.

The woman, whose identity is not being released, was operating what the shelter staff described as the guinea pig equivalent of a puppy mill, continuously breeding the animals in order to sell the babies to local pet stores. At first she wanted only to surrender a couple of the animals, but concern for their welfare prompted the adoption center to demand she turn all of them over.

Mike Keiley, director of the Noble Family Animal Care and Adoption Center at Nevins Farm, expressed concern about the new additions. "It's a tremendous strain on our resources whenever we have a surrender of so many animals at once," he said. Keiley added that the center is already home to dozens of guinea pigs and other small animals, and the team is in urgent need of foster homes and adopters to ensure all of the guinea pigs can find new homes once they are available for adoption.

Owing to the size of the surrender and the number of animals already in the shelter's care, the MSPCA has set up a donation form for members of the public who wish to contribute to the care of the guinea pigs, and animals like them. "Monetary donations are hugely important in times like this because of the now significantly larger population of animals that need us," added Keiley.

Ten adult female guinea pigs will need to be cared for in foster homes for two months to ensure they are not placed into a permanent adoptive home if they are pregnant. Most of the baby pigs will be available for adoption in mid-November. And upwards of 10 adult males are available for adoption now.

Anyone interested in adopting one or some of the animals is encouraged to visit the MSPCA-Nevins Farm Animal Care and Adoption Center at Care and Adoption Center at 400 Broadway, Methuen or visit www.mspca.org.

The MSPCA-Angell is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care. The MSPCA-Angell is a private, nonprofit organization. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization. The MSPCA-Angell relies solely on the support and contributions of individuals who care about animals. Please visit www.mspca.org.